Salford Community Leisure (SCL) took part in our Prosper programme 2017-2018. Business support helped them develop change their programming.

SCL manages and delivers sports, lifestyle, library and cultural services across 40 venues in Salford, Greater Manchester with the aim of enhancing the physical and cultural wellbeing of the community.

Their aim is to enhance the physical and cultural well-being of the community. They are passionate about delivering value for money, reinvesting profits because they ‘believe that leisure and culture should be at the heart of every community’.

SCL used Prosper primarily to access a Business Advisor and two Masterclasses. They also utilised the Arts Marketing Associations online ‘CultureHive’ resources which was produced in partnership with Creative United.

Key business outcomes

SCL reported the following business outcomes from using Prosper

01

Clarifying approach

SCL were able to plan a more themed and curatorial-led approach for each programme of events and activities. This enabled them to better articulate their programme and be more coherent with applications from artists and groups.

02

Commercialising opportunities

SCL undertook work to identify the true costs of events to see how they could further commercialise this opportunity: assessing where surpluses could be made, analysing the local market in venue hire and, in response, reviewing pricing structures.

03

Increasing potential for social investment

Their new clearer curatorial approach enabled them to make a much better ask of new funders and sponsors of the programme, increasing the potential for social investment in the near future.

04

Launched a new product

Utilising images of paintings/exhibits in their collection, SCLT have piloted licencing these images online (for sale) in order to generate more commercial revenue.

Prosper meet up

Participants share their thoughts as the programme comes to an end

Conclusions

SCL have been able to improve their investment readiness via curatorial-led events and activities, and further their aims for commercial revenue via a strategic approach to events opportunities and a new commercial product.